Packaging compressible material



June 27, 1967 w. a HULLHQRST ET AL 3,327,449

PACKAGING COMPRESSIBLE MATERIAL Filed April 2, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS Mum/14 5i Hun/mew &

PAUL E LOC/(ETT 4Tr0AM/Eys June 27, 1967 w a u o s ET AL 3,327,449

PACKAGING COMPRESSIBLE MATERIAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 2, 1964 INVENTORS h ILA/AMJF. f/uzu/aesr & P arc/(77 BY M 1 @MA 4 7' TOP/V5 vs United States Patent 3,327,449 PACKAGING COMPRESSIBLE MATERIAL William B. Hullhorst, Rossford, and Paul F. Lockett, Newark, Ohio, assignors to Owens-Corning Fiherglas Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 356,762 11 Claims. (CI. 53-24) This invention relates to packaging of compressible material and particularly to an improved method and apparatus for packaging insulating batts.

Insulating batts are now used for a multiplicity of applications and purposes, such as for acoustical treatment as well as thermal insulation, for example. Batts of various compressible materials are now known, fibrous glass probably being the best for this purpose, from both a thermal and an acoustical standpoint. One problem in the production and distribution of insulating batts lies in the high shipping costs, resulting from their inherent high volume-to-weight ratio. It has been found that this ratio can be reduced substantially by packaging the batts under compression to reduce the volume several fold, thereby enabling many more batts to be shipped in a given space.

A common technique heretofore used for packaging batts involved compressing a stack of the batts and then forcing them lengthwise into a heavy paper tube in which they were shipped. Sliding the batts for their full length into the tube tended to damage the exposed surfaces, particularly since the batts tended to expand because of the compression pressure imposed thereon. The paper tubes used to package the batts also had to be preformed in a separate operation which increased the packaging costs, and if overstressed, the tubes had a tendency to tear. In addition, the extent to which the batts could be compressed was limited not only because the batts were slid their entire length into the packaging tube but also because the batts were allowed to expand as they were shoved into the tube and, if compressed excessively, would tear the tube. Further, the force used to insert the compressed batts into the tube was concentrated at one end of the batts, thus frequently causing permanent damage to the adjacent fibers in the batts.

The present invention provides an improved method and apparatus for packaging batts which overcome the above disadvantages and achieve many advantages not heretofore possible. The new packaging technique eliminates the necessity of employing a preformed paper tube or other container because in the new technique a sheet of paper is wrapped around the pack of batts while the batts are compressed and the edges of the paper glued together. In addition, the arrangement is such that there is a minimum of sliding movement between the compressed batts and any adjacent supporting surfaces. The batts are also moved transversely into the compressed condition so that the overall movement and surface friction is less, and the force required to move the batts is distributed over a lengthwise edge rather than concentrated at one end, as previously was the case. The surfaces of the batts thereby tend to be damaged less, and the fibers are not permanently damaged by excessive compression, which frequently occurred previously when the batts were forced lengthwise While compressed. Of considerable importance is the fact that in the new method and apparatus the batts can be compressed significantly more than heretofore possible, particularly because no preformed tube is employed which is subjected to tearing as the compressed batts are pushed into it, and also because the batts are not shoved lengthwise or slid along stationary surfaces. With the new arrangement, it has been found that the batts can be compressed about 20% more than here- 3,327,449 Patented June 27, 1967 tofore possible so that substantially less shipping space is required.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for packaging insulating batts of compressible material having the advantages and overcoming the disadvantages outlined above.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved package of compressed batts having a lower volume-to-weight ratio.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic, overall view in perspective, with parts broken away, of apparatus according to the invention for packaging insulating batts;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view in elevation of part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and with components thereof moved to a different position;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the components in still another position during the packaging of insulating batts;

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view in elevation of certain components of the packaging apparatus shown in FIGS. 2 and 3;

FIG. 5 is a view generally similar to FIG. 4, but with the components in another position;

FIG. 6 is a view generally similar to FIGS. 4 and 5 showing the components in still another position;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view in perspective of a component of the apparatus of FIGS. 4-6; and

FIG. 8 is a view in perspective of a plurality of compressed batts packaged with the apparatus of FIGS. 1-7.

Referring to FIG. 1, overall apparatus 10 for packaging insulating batts basically includes a slanted bed or table 12 for supporting and positioning a plurality of insulating batts 14 between a stationary compression member 16 and a movable compression member 18. Paper supply means indicated at 20 is used to supply a paper sheet 22 over the members 16 and 18 when they are moved together. Above the paper 22 is a pair of receiving members 24 and 26 which hold the compressed batts and paper when moved upwardly by the compression members 16 and 18. In this position, edges of the paper are adhered together to complete the package. When the next package is partially wrapped and moved upwardly, it automatically pushes another package above the first package from the receiving members 24 and 26 and onto a belt conveyor 28 which carries the package to one side of the apparatus 10 where it is removed to storage or a shipping point.

Referring now in more detail to the various components of the apparatus 10, the slanted bed 12 is designed to be wide enough to accommodate any length of the batts 14 expected to be packaged and is sufiiciently long to accommodate the total thickness of the number of the batts 14 which are to be compressed into one package. The stationary compression member 16 includes a movable conveyor belt 30 comprising a multiplicity of pivotally connected segments 32, the belt 30 being rotatably supported by rollers 34 which are held in spaced relationship by suitable end brackets (not shown). The movable compression member 18 includes a conveyor belt 36 comprising a multiplicity of segments 38 similar to the segments 32 with the belt supported on rollers 40. The rollers 40, in this instance, are held in spaced relationship by end brackets 42. The movable compression member 18 is moved back and forth on the table 12, with adjacent runs of the belts 30 and 36 held generally parallel, by means of a pair of suitable pneumatic or hydraulic rams 44 connected to the movable member 18 by gear racks 46 .and pinions 48. The rams 44 are directly connected to the pinions 48 so that a given amount of movement of the pinions 48 results in twice the movement of the upper gear racks 46 and the movable compression member 18.

Actually, the adjacent runs of the belts 30 and 36 can be arranged with the upper ends closer together, if desired, with the belt 36 leaning toward the belt 30. This may overcome the tendency for the stack of batts to buckle upwardly in the middle when squeezed by the compression members. Even if the angle between the adjacent runs of the belts may be 5 to 15 or possibly more, they are still considered to be generally parallel as set forth in this discussion and in the claims.

After the batts 14 are placed on the bed 12, the movable compression member 18 is pushed toward the stationary member 16 by the rams 44 until spaced apart a disstance somewhat less than the thickness of the final package of insulating batts 14, which package is represented by the reference numeral 50 in FIG. 8. This position of the movable member 18 is shown in FIG. 3. Subsequently, the compressed batts 14 are moved upwardly to the space between the receiving members 24 and 26 by a pusher plate 52 operated by a pair of spaced fluid rams 54. Stationary plates 55, located at both ends of the members 16 and 18 and at the lower ends of the members 24 and 26, guide the pack properly during this transfer. Rather than the pusher 52 and the rams 54, the conveyor belts 30 and 36 can be driven to move the compressed batts 14 upwardly. However, the pusher plate 52 and the rams 54 are preferred since they always move the batts 14 upwardly a fixed, uniform distance. When the batts are moved upwardly by the belts 30 and 36, the batts may stop when they begin to slip at the upper ends of the belts 38 and 36, with this point varying from one pack of batts to the next. Hence, the movement and the upper position of the batts in that instance may not be uniform or constant.

Prior to moving the compressed batts 14 upwardly, however, the sheet 22 of paper is first positioned above the compression members 16 and 18, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The paper 22 is supplied from a roll 56 which is suitably rotatably mounted at the one end of the apparatus 10, and is fed around several tracking rollers 58 and across conveying belts 60 and 62. The sheet 22 is next moved across an arcuate bridge plate 64 and onto a supporting platform 66 suitably mounted over the batts 14. When the leading edge of the sheet 22 reaches a predetermined position its forward travel is stopped by suitable means, such as with the aid of a limit switch L.S. A cutter 68 then severs the sheet 22 so that the sheet extends substantially equally beyond both of the compression members 16 and 18. The bridge plate 64 is then retracted by means (not shown) to a recessed, out-of-theway position, represented by dotted lines in FIG. 1.

At this time, the pusher plate 52 moves the packof compressed batts 14 upwardly, with the conveyor belts 30 and 36 being moved by the batts in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 3. The batts 14 also carry the paper sheet 22 upwardly around the upper longitudinal edge of the pack and around the outer major surfaces of the outer two batts. The compressed batts are moved upwardly until the lower longitudinal edge of the pack is above the lower extremities of the receiving members 24 and 26, as shown in FIG. 4.

Each of the receiving members 24 and 26 includes a movable conveyor belt 70 having segments 72 which are similar to the belt and segments of the members 16 and 18. The belts 72 are rotatably mounted on spaced rollers 74 which are held in fixed, spaced relationship by individual end brackets 76 (FIG. 1) at one end and by a connecting end bracket 78 at the other end, the latter bracket holding the belts 70 in parallel relationship with the spacing between them also approximately equaling the average spacing between the belts 30 and 36 of the com- 4 pression members 16 and 18. The end brackets 76 and 78 are supported by connecting bars 88 upon which rollers 82 are mounted. The rollers 82 support the receiving members 24 and 26 on suitable tracks 83, by means of which the receiving members can move from a position at one side of the compression members 16 and 18, as shown in FIG. 1, to a position in which the receiving members are supported directly over the compression members, as shown in FIG. 3. The receiving members 24 and 26 are located in the latter position before the compressed batts 14 are moved upwardly from the space between the conveyor belts 30 and 36.

When the compressed batts 14 with thepaper sheet 22 now draped around them in a U-shaped manner have been moved to the upper, second position between the receiving members 24 and 26, end portions or flaps 84 and 86 (FIG. 4) of the sheet 22 hang below the belts 70. The receiving members 24 and 26 are then moved, along with the batts 14 and the sheet 22, from the position of FIG. 3 to the position of FIG. 1, at which time the depending flaps pass a sprayhead 88 (FIGS. 1 and 4). As the depending flaps move past the sprayhead 88, the head emits a spray of glue against the inner surface of the flap 86, operation of the spray being controlled by a feeler arm or an electric eye, for example.

After the receiving members 24 and 26 move just beyond the sprayhead 88 to the position of FIG. 1, a vacuum .shOe 90, which is vertically movable, moves upwardly from the position of FIG. 4 to the position of FIG. 5, immediately below the compressed batts 14. The shoe 90 preferably moves vertically to be sure of clearing the lower edge of the compressed batts 14 as they are moved to the side position of FIG. 1 'by the receiving members 24 and 26. The shoe 98 has an arcuate lower surface 92 (FIG. 7) with a plurality of openings 94 therein through which air is pulled by a suitable pump 96 connected to the shoe 90 by a line 98. After the compressed batts 14 have been moved to the side position and the shoe 90 has been raised, the vacuum is established in the shoe.

A folding bar 10) (FIGS. 4 and 5), positioned to one side of and slightly below the shoe 98, then is moved by suitable drive means substantially horizontally under the shoe to push the unglued flap 84 under the batts 14 and against the shoe 98 which, by means of the suction, holds the flap 84 in that position after the folding bar 100 is retracted to the position of FIG. 6. A second folding bar 102 then is moved generally in the direction opposite the movement of the bar to move the glued flap 86 under the batts 14 and into contact with the unglued flap 84 held against the surface 92 of the shoe 90.

The pack of the batts 14 with the sheet 22 and the now folded and glued flaps 84 and 86 remain in the position of FIG. 6 with the flaps held by the shoe 90 while additional batts are loaded on the bed 12 and compressed between the compression members 16 and 18. After the next b-atts are compressed and the paper sheet 22 has moved into the position of FIGS. 1 and 2, the arcuate bridge 64 is retracted with the sheet 22 supported there above draping down slightly, as shown in FIG. 2, to insure that the receiving members 24 and 26 will clear it when they move back over the compression members. To obtain an even more pronounced drape, the .guide means for the paper can move the sheet 22 slightly forwardly after the leading edge has stopped, to establish additional slack in the sheet 22. In such an instance, it will drape or hang downwardly even more when the bridge 64 is retracted. This assures further clearance of the lower ends of the conveyor belts 70,-as well as the flaps 84 and 86, when the receiving members andcompressed batts return. As the receiving members move back over the compression members, a roller 104 (FIG. 1) squeezes the flaps 84 and 86 against the end of the surface 92 of the shoe to achieve maximum contact between the flaps. When the glued flaps 84 and 86 have moved completely away from the shoe 90, it is lowered slightly to be sure of clearing the next pack of compressed batts moved over it.

The glue has set sufiiciently at this point to hold the flaps 84 and 86 in place although no tension is placed on the paper 22 and particularly on the flaps 84 and 86 until the batts are pushed completely out of the top of the receiving members 24 and 26. This will not occur until a second cycle begins and a third package of compressed batts finally pushes the instant one out of the receiving members (FIG. 4) and onto the transfer belt 28. Only at this time does the full force of the compressed batts react on the paper 22 and the flaps 84 and 86. The final package 50 is then removed at one side of the apparatus and carried to a suitable storage area or shipping point.

While the receiving members 24 and 26 are shown as movable between the side position and the position over the compression members 16 and 18, the members 24 and 26 can be positioned permanently over the compression members 16 and 18 with the sprayhead 88 and the vacuum shoe 90 then movable between two positions.

From the above, it will be seen that the batts 14, after being compressed between the compression members 16 and 18, are moved only a relatively short distance, substantially equal to their width, when moved to the upper, paper-wrapping position between the receiving members 24 and 26. Further, the compressed batts 14 do not slide against adjacent surfaces but move with the conveyor segments 32 and 38 as Well as the segments 72 of the upper conveyor belts 70. Hence, there are no sliding surfaces on which the batts drag and which increase friction as well as cause the surfaces of the batts to be fuzzy. Further, with a minimum amount of friction, the sliding surface being eliminated, less pressure or pushing force is applied to the compressed batts 14 to move them to their upper position with the result that fibers along the edges of the batts which are engaged by the pusher bar 52 are not permanently damaged by excessive pressure. The lesser pressure on the batt edges also is achieved by the fact that the pushing force is applied along the entire longitudinal edges of the compressed batts 14 rather than along only one of the ends of them. Further, the paper sheet 22 simply moves upwardly with the batts 14 and is not subjected to the force of the batts tending to expand until some time after the flaps 86 and 88 have been glued and dried. Since the sheet 22 is not preformed to any particular shape, there is little chance that it can be torn, as has heretofore happened.

Various modifications of the above described embodiment of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and it is to be understood that such modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention, if they are within the spirit and tenor of the accompanying claims.

We claim:

I. A method of making a shippable package of a plurality of rectangular insulating batts, said method comprising stacking a plurality of the insulating batts with their major surfaces parallel and with all four edges in alignment, applying force to the outer major surfaces of the outer insulating batts in a direction generally perpendicular to the major surfaces to compress all of said batts to a fraction of their original thickness, positioning a sheet of wrapping paper perpendicularly to the major surfaces of said batts, parallel to longitudinal edges of said batts, and extending substantially beyond the outer batts, the width of the sheet exceeding the sum of twice the width of the major surfaces of the batts and twice the thickness of the compressed batts, maintaining pressure on most of the outer major surfaces of said outer batts while moving said batts in a direction generally parallel to the major surfaces and toward said sheet to wrap said sheet around the major surfaces of said outer batts and one of the longitudinal edges of said batts, with edge portions of said sheet extending beyond the second longitudinal edge of said batts opposite said one longitudinal edge, moving said batts and sheet to a remote position, spraying adhesive along an inner surface of one of said edge portions of said sheet, moving the other edge portion of said sheet around said second longitudinal edge of said batts, holding said other edge portion of said sheet in position while moving said one edge portion of said sheet around said other edge portion of said sheet and into contact therewith, holding said sheet edge portions together while the glue partially dries, moving said packs and glued sheet back to the first position from said remote position after stacking a plurality of additional batts with their major surfaces parallel, applying force to the additional batts in a direction generally perpendicular to the major surfaces to squeeze them to substantially the same thickness as the first batts, positioning a second sheet of paper similar in size and shape to the first perpendicular to the major surfaces of said second batts, maintaining pressure on most of the major outer surfaces of said additional batts while moving said additional batts toward said first batts to push said first batts toward an unloading position and at the same time at least partially releasing pressure on said first batts.

2. A method of making a shippable package of a plurality of rectangular insulating batts, said method comprising stacking a plurality of the insulating batts with their major surfaces parallel and with the edges in alignment, applying force generally perpendicular to the outer major surfaces of the outer insulating batts to compress all of said batts to a fraction of their original thickness, positioning a sheet of wrapping paper perpendicularly to the major surfaces of said batts, parallel to longitudinal edges of said batts, and extending substantially beyond the outer batts, the width of the sheet exceeding the sum of twice the width of the major surfaces of the batts and twice the thickness of the compressed batts, maintaining pressure on most of the outer major surfaces of said outer batts while moving said batts in a direction generally parallel to the major surfaces and toward said sheet to wrap said sheet around the major surfaces of said outer batts and one of the longitudinal edges of said batts, with edge portions of said sheet extending beyond the second longitudinal edge of said batts opposite said one longitudinal edge, moving said batts and sheet to a remote position, applying adhesive along a surface of one of said edge portions of said sheet, moving one of said edge portions of said sheet around said second longitudinal edge of said batts, holding the one edge portion in position while moving the other edge portion of said sheet into contact with the one edge portion to glue the two edge portions together, holding said edge portions together while the glue at least partially dries, moving said packs and glued sheet back to the first position from said remote position after stacking a plurality of additional batts with their major surfaces parallel, applying force to the additional batts in a direction generally perpendicular to the major surfaces to squeeze them to substantially the same thickness as the first batts, and moving said additional batts toward said first batts to push said first batts toward an unloading station and at the same time releasing pressure on said first batts.

3. A method of making a shippable package of a plurality of insulating batts, said method comprising stacking a plurality of the insulating batts with their major surfaces parallel and with the edges in alignment, applying force only to the outer major surfaces of the insulating batts to compress all of said batts to a fraction of their original thickness, positioning a sheet of wrapping paper transversely to the major surfaces of said batts and extending substantially beyond the outer batts, the sheet being wider than the periphery of the compressed batts, maintaining pressure on most of the outer major surfaces of said outer batts while moving said batts in a direction generally parallel to the major surfaces and toward said sheet to wrap said sheet around the major surfaces of the outer batts and one of the edges of the compressed batts, with edge portions of said sheet extending beyond a second edge of the compressed batts opposite the one edge, applying adhesive along a surface of one of said edge portions of said sheet, moving one'of said edge portions of said sheet around said second edge of the compressed batts, holding the one edge portion of said sheet in position while moving the other edge portion of said sheet around and into contact with said one edge portion to glue the two together, holding said edge portions together while they glue at least partially dries, maintaining the batts in the compressed condition for an additional period of time, and moving said batts again in a direction parallel to the major surfaces of the batts and simultaneously releasing part of the pressure applied to the major surfaces of said outer batts.

4. A method of making a shippable package of a plurality of insulating batts, said method comprising stacking a plurality of the insulating batts with their major surfaces parallel and with all the edges in alignment, applying force to outer surfaces of the insulating batts to compress all of said batts, positioning a wrapping sheet transversely to the major surfaces of said batts and extending substantially beyond the outer two batts, the sheet being wider than the periphery of the compressed batts, maintaining pressure on said batts while moving said batts in a direction toward said sheet to wrap said sheet around the outer surfaces of the outer batts and one of the edges of the compressed batts, with edge portions of said sheet extending beyond a second edge of the compressed batts opposite the one edge, continuing to move said batts with said sheet therearound between a pair of belt conveyors having adjacent runs of the belt disposed a predetermined distance apart to maintain the pressure on said batts, and affixing together said edge portions along the second edge of the compressed batts before the pressure on said batts is released.

5. A method of making a shippable package of a plurality of compressible batts, said method comprising stacking a plurality of the batts, applying force to outer surfaces of the outer batts to compress all of said batts to a fraction of the original thickness, moving all of said batts in a direction generally parallel to the outer surfaces while maintaining them under compression, positioning a sheet of wrapping material transversely to the path of movement of said compressed batts whereby said sheet is wrapped around the leading edges of said batts and around the outer surfaces thereof, affixing together portions of said sheet which are along the edges of the compressed batts opposite said leading edges, and subsequently moving the wrapped batts in a direction generally parallel to the outer surfaces and parallel to the earlier direction of movement, and substantially simultaneously releasing part of the compression on the wrapped batts.

6. Apparatus for making a compressed package of a plurality of insulating batts, said apparatus comprising a bed on which said batts can be stacked with their major surfaces parallel and with all edges in alignment, a pair of compression members including a first conveyor belt and stationary means for supporting said belt at one end of said bed, and a second conveyor belt and movable means for supporting said second belt on said bed spaced from said first belt, said belts having generally parallel adjacent runs movable in a common direction, means for moving said movable belt support means toward said stationary belt support means to compress all of said batts to a fraction of their original thickness, means for positioning a supply of wrapping paper to one side of said compression members, means for feeding the paper across the tops of said conveyor belts, means severing a sheet of the paper from the supply in a width exceeding two widths of the major surfaces of the batts and two thicknesses of the compressed batts, a pair of receiving members including a pair of opposed conveyor belts having adjacent runs parallel and movable in a common direction, the

8 spacing between said pair of receiving conveyor belts being substantially equal to the thickness of the compressed batts, means for supporting said receiving members in a first position directly above said compression members when in their compressed position and for supporting said receiving members in a remote position, means for moving the compressed batts from a position between said compression members to a position between said receiving members, spray means for spraying glue along an edge portion of said sheet extending below said receiving members when said receiving members are removed from said first position to said remote position, means for moving the edge portions of said sheet around the lower edges of said compressed batts and into contact with one another, means for holding said edge portions togetherwhile the adhesive at least partially dries, and conveying means for receiving the packaged batts when emerging from the top of said receiving members.

7. Apparatus for making a compressed package of a plurality of insulating batts, said apparatus comprising a bed on which said batts can be stacked with their major surfaces parallel and with all edges in alignment, a pair of compression members including a first conveyor belt and stationary means for supporting said belt at one end of said bed, and a second conveyor belt and movable means for supporting said second belt on said bed spaced from said first belt, said belts having generally parallel adjacent runs movable in a common direction, means for moving said movable belt support means toward said stationary belt support means'to compress all of said batts to a fraction of their original thickness, means for feeding paper across the tops of said conveyor belts, means severing a sheet of the paper in a width exceeding two widths of the major surfaces of the batts and two thicknesses of the compressed batts, a pair of spaced receiving members including a pair of opposed conveyor belts having adjacent runs parallel and movable in a common direction, the spacing between said pair of receiving conveyor belts being substantially equal to the thickness of the compressed batts, means for supporting said receiving members in a position directly above said compression members when in their compressed position, means for moving the compressed batts from a position between said compression members to a position betweensaid receiving members, means for applying adhesive along an edge portion of said sheet extending below said receiving members, means for moving the edge portions of said sheet around the lower edges of said compressed batts and into contact with one another, and means for holding said edge portions together while the adhesive at least partially dries.

8. Apparatus for making a compressed package of a plurality of compressible batts, said apparatus comprising a bed on which said batts can be stacked with their major surfaces parallel, a pair of compression members including a stationary member at one end of said bed and a movable member on said bed and spaced from said stationary one, means for moving said movable member toward said stationary one to compress all of said batts to a fraction of their original thickness, means for feeding a paper sheet across the tops of said members, said sheet:

having a width exceeding two widths of the major surfaces of the batts and two thicknesses of the compressed batts, a pair of spaced, substantially parallel receiving members, the spacing between said receiving members being substantially equal to thethickness of the compressed batts,

said receiving members being open at both ends, means for positioning said receiving members above said compression members when in their compressed positions, means for moving the compressed batts from a position between said compression members to a position between said;

receiving members, means for applying adhesive along an edge portion of said sheet extending below said receiving members, means for moving the edge portions of said sheet around edges of said compressed batts and into contact wtih one another, means for holding said edge portions together while the adhesive at least partially dries, and means for moving the wrapped batts beyond an open end of said receiving members.

9. Apparatus for making a compressed package of a plurality of compressible batts, said apparatus comprising a bed on which said batts can be stacked with their major surfaces parallel, a pair of compression members for compressing said batts to a fraction of their original thickness, means for positioning a paper sheet above said compression members in a width exceeding the periphery of the compressed batts, a pair of spaced receiving members comprising a pair of conveyor belts with adjacent runs thereof being substantially parallel, the spacing between said adjacent runs being substantially equal to the thickness of the compressed batts, means for supporting said receiving members above said compression members when in their compressed positions, means for moving the compressed batts from a position between said compression members to a position between said receiving members, and means for aflixing edge portions of said sheet together around said compressed batts.

10. Apparatus for making a compressed pack of a plurality of compressible batts, said apparatus comprising means on which said batts can be stacked with their major surfaces parallel, a pair of compression members for compressing said batts to a fraction of their original thickness, each of said compression members including a movable conveyor belt and means for supporting said belt with a run of the belt generally parallel to an adjacent run of the belt of the other compression member, means for moving at least one of said compression members toward the other in a direction transverse to the adjacent belt runs, and means for moving a compressed pack of batts from between the conveyor belts in a direction generally parallel to the adjacent runs of said conveyor belts after being compressed by said compression members, and receiving means for receiving the compressed pack of batts from between the conveyor belts, said receiving means comprising a pair of additional conveyor belts mounted above and aligned with said first pair of belts when in their compressing positions and having adjacent belt runs which are substantially parallel and spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the compressed pack of batts.

11. Apparatus for making a compressed pack of a plurality of compressible batts, said apparatus comprising means on which said batts can be stacked in parallel, a pair of compression members for compressing said batts to a fraction of their original thickness, each of said compression members including a conveyor at least part of which is generally parallel to a conveyor of the other compression member, means for moving at least one of said compression members toward the other, means for moving a compressed pack of batts from between the conveyors in a direction generally parallel to said conveyors after being compressed by said compression members, and receiving means for receiving the compressed pack of batts from between the conveyors, said receiving means comprising a pair of conveyor belts mounted above and aligned with said first conveyors when in their compressing positions and having adjacent belt runs which are substantially parallel and spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the compressed pack of batts.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 655,998 8/1900 Taylor 53-124 1,261,612 4/1918 Powers 53124 1,920,841 8/1933 Clark 20683.5 2,127,118 8/1938 Herbelin 20683.5 2,506,021 5/1950 Holmberg 53124 3,006,119 10/1961 Fingerhut 53-124 3,056,245 10/1962 Baum et al 53-24 3,059,387 10/1962 Fasanella 5324 3,117,513 l/1964 Burnett et al 218 TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, FRANK E. BAILEY,

Examiners,

R. L. FARRIS, Assistant Examiner, 

5. A METHOD OF MAKING A SHIPPABLE PACKAGE OF A PLURALITY OF COMPRESSIBLE BATTS, SAID METHOD COMPRISING STACKING A PLURALITY OF THE BATT, APPLYING FORCE OT OUTER SURFACES OF THE OUTER BATTS TO COMPRESS ALL OF SAID BATTS TO A FRACTION OF THE ORIGINAL THICKNESS, MOVING ALL OF SAID BATTS IN A DIRECTION GENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE OUTER SURFACES WHILE MAINTAINING THEM UNDER COMPRESSION, POSITIONING A SHEET OF WRAPPING MATERIAL TRANSVERSELY TO THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID COMPRESSED BATTS WHEREBY SAID SHEET IS WRAPPED AROUND THE LEADING EDGES OF SAID BATTS AND AROUND THE OUTER SURFACES THEREOF, AFFIXING TOGETHER PORTIONS OF SAID SHEET WHICH ARE ALONG THE EDGES OF THE COMPRESSED BATTS OPPOSITE SAID LEADING EDGES, AND SUBSEQUENTLY MOVING THE WRAPPED BATTS IN A DIRECTION GENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE OUTER SURFACES AND PARALLEL TO THE EARLIER DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT, AND SUBSTANTIALLY SIMULTANEOUSLY RELEASING PART OF THE COMPRESSION ON THE WRAPPED BATTS. 